Nursing

Who are Nurses?

Nurses are healthcare professionals who assist physicians during treatments and examinations
- Perform routine patient measurements such as blood pressure readings
- Administer medications and vaccines
- Run diagnostic tests
Nurses are licensed by the Board of Nursing and must maintain their status as working professionals
Types of Nurses
- Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN): performs basic medical care and reports to the RN
- Registered Nurse (RN): provides more advanced care, including diagnostic test analysis and medication administration
- Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN): provides the most advanced care, in some cases working autonomously
- Examples include nurse anesthetists and midwives
- A handy break-down of the different types of nurses can be found on Rasmussen College’s website.

The extent of education required depends on the type of nurse you would like to become
LPN
- Requires a practical nursing diploma, which can be obtained in 12 months at most community colleges
- After graduation, you must complete the NCLEX (Nurse Council Licensure Examination) in order to become a licensed practical nurse
RN
- Requires a bachelor’ degree in nursing (BSN)
- At the University of Maryland, a bachelor’s degree in nursing is not offered, but you can receive a BSN in as little as 18 months if you already have another bachelor’s degree.
- The University of Maryland offers a guaranteed admission pathway for RN licensure at the University of Maryland School of Nursing.
APRN
- Requires a Master’s of Science in Nursing
- Can be completed in as little as 18 months
- May additionally require certification from the National Council of State Boards for Nursing that must be renewed every few years

Nurses are in high demand, with the field expect to grow exponentially over the next decade
While nurses predominantly work in hospitals, nurses may also work in educational settings, clinics, and medical offices
Pay varies greatly and depends largely on level of education
- Generally, nurses with more advanced degrees are in higher demand and receive higher salaries
- Specialty APRN’s can make upwards of $140,000 per year in mid-career pay

In order to apply to most BSN and MSN programs, a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 is required
Admissions standards vary widely, but generally no examinations are required

One of the most important application components is previous clinical experience
- Seek out shadowing opportunities and scribing experience where possible
- In many cases, MSN programs will require two years of licensed nursing experience prior to admission
Demonstrate academic success in biology, physics, chemistry, and social science courses
- For more information about which courses you should take as an undergrad in order to meet nursing school admission requirements, visit the Reed Yorke Health Professions Advising Office’s web page on pre-nursing coursework.
Demonstrate interest in medical practice
- Look for scribing positions and shadowing opportunities

General Timeline
- For fall admission, applications are generally due in February
- Interviews occur over the summer
- Admission decisions are posted in the summer as well
- Be sure to check each nursing school individually to ensure
Components
- Transcript/Coursework
- Nursing school narrative that explains your career goals/interests and how nursing school will help you achieve them
  - For more information on constructing an effective and convincing nursing school narrative, read this blog post from Nurse Practitioner Schools.
- Letters of recommendation
  - For more information about selecting appropriate recommenders, visit the University of Maryland’s Health Profession Advising Office’s web page on letters of recommendation.
- Interview Tips
  - Demonstrate your personality, creativity, and motivation for applying to a nursing program
  - Demonstrate strong verbal communication skills
  - Be able to describe all items from your application, especially your clinical experience
  - Ask specific questions about the nursing program
  - For more help on nailing a nursing school interview, visit the University of Maryland’s Health Professions Advising Office mock interview sign-up page.

Academic advising for pre-nursing students
- Make an appointment at the Reed-Yorke Health Professions Advising Office
Service opportunities
- The University of Maryland’s Health Professions Advising Office offers both local and national volunteering opportunities
Clinical Opportunities
- The University of Maryland’s Health Professions Advising Office offers shadowing opportunities at local hospitals, scribe programs, and EMT training